Apparatus for controlling traffic on railways.



PATENTED JUNE 20, 1905.

T. H. PATENALL. APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING TRAFFIC 0N RAILWAYS.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 27, 1904.

6 BKEETS-SHEET 1.

Ill VEII T01? WITNESSES M% PATENTED JUNE 20, 1905.

T. H. PATENALL. APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING TRAFFIC 0N RAILWAYS.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 27, 1904.

GSHEETS-SHEET 2.

.P |H H H I HI I I H I I I I I HH HH I H ML JAM ITTURIIEY PATENTED JUNE 20, 1905.

T. H. PATBNALL. APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING TRAFFIC 0N RAILWA YS.

' APPLICATION FILED 0OT.27, 1904.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

W l l lsl 1 INYENTOR 9t. .46?

/AJ 4 TTOIM WI TNESSES No. 792.922. PATENTED JUNE 20, 1905. T. H. PATENALL. APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING TRAFFIC ON RAILWAYS.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 27, 1904.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

WITNESSES INVENTOH $4, M 4044mm if PATENTED JUNE 20, 1905.

6 SHEETSSHEET 5.

T. H. PATENALL. APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING TRAFFIC ON RAILWAYS.

APPLICATION FILED OGT. 27. 1904.

W/ TIIESSES @W% L? wm INVENTOR w). @6761 web nromv r PATENTED JUNE 20, 1905.

T. H. PATENALL. APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING TRAFFIC 0N RAILWAYS.

APPLICATION FILED OGT.27,1904.

SHEETSSHEBT 6.

Milli ll lIlYE/l 705 I JAQ I770]? WITNESSES No. 792,922. Patented June 20, 1905.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS H. PATEITALL, OF \VILKINSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE UNION STVITOH AND SIGNAL COMPANY, OF SIYISSVALE, PENN- SYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING TRAFFIC ON RAILWAYS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 792,922, dated June 20, 1905. Application filed October 27, 1904. Serial No. 230,217-

To (1.7]. whom, it may concern: staff within the controller, whereby it is ren- Be it known that I, THOMAS H. PATENALL, dered necessary for the operators at both ends a citizen of the United States, residing at lVilof the block to simultaneously manipulate kinsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State their respective instruments in order to effect 5 of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new the release of such stad to permit of its reand useful Improvements in Apparatus for moval and coincidently affecting the mechan- Oontrollingflraific on Railways; and Idohereism so as to again throw the staff instruments by declare that the following is a full, clear, out of synchronism, thereby preventing the and exact description, suflicient to enable othremoval of another staff from either instru- IO ers skilled in the art to which it appertains to ment and effectually closing the block against make and use the invention. the movement of trains thereover in either di- My invention relates to improvementsin aprection, and thus permitting the train on the paratus involved in what is known in the art siding to move onto the main track and reas staff systems, which systems are used for sume its journey in safety. I5 controlling traffic on single-track railroads. My invention further comprises certain My invention has more especial reference novel features of construction and arrangeto a construction of electrically-locked staff ment of parts, all of which will be hereinafter circuit-controller adaptable for use in connecfully described, and particularly pointed out tion with many of the ordinary types of what in the appended claims. 20 are known as stafi instruments and which In the accompanying drawings similar refis particularly designed for the purpose of inerence letters and numerals indicate correcreasing the operating facilities of any piece spending parts in all the figures. or pieces of single track without the necessity Figure 1 is a front view of a controller cmof providing additional staff instruments and bodying my invention, parts of the mechan- 2 5 operators therefor at such siding or sidings ism thereof being shown in dotted lines and as may be found essential or expedient to use in their normal condition or no staff in. Fig. in attaining this end. 2 is a sectional elevation taken approximately 7 5 My invention, which comprisesasimple and through the line \V W, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a inexpensive electrically-locked staff circuitfront view of the controller shown in Fig. 1, 3 controller, to be hereinafter fully described, but with a staff inserted and locked therein. is located at what may be termed a passing- Fig. 4; is a sectional elevation taken approxisiding and is connected up with the staff inmate-1y through the line X X, Fig. 3, also struments at each end of the block or section with the staff in and locked. Fig. 5isafront of track to be protected by appropriate elecelevation of the controller shown in Fig. 1 y 3 5 trical circuits, being so arranged that when a with staff in and locked, the lower part of the 1 staff (which may have been withdrawn from case being broken away. Fig. 6 is a sectional an instrui'nent at either end of the block, theredetail view taken through the line Y Y, Fig. 8 5 by throwing such instruments out of synchro- 5, with staff in and locked. Fig. 7 is a side nism and locking them against the removal elevation of a switch embodied in my inven- 4 of another staff) has been inserted within the tion for changing the direction of main curcontroller and [)lODOl'lyHIOVGCl to lock it thererent. Fig. 8 is a front view of the switch in the staff instruments will again be thrown shown in Fig. '7. Fig. 9 is a section thereof, into synchronism to permit of another staff taken on the line Z Z, Fig. 7. Fig. 10 is a being withdrawn from either one, so that a diagrammatic View of an arrangement of cir- 45 train or trains may be allowed to pass over cuits between two staff instruments and insuch block while the first train is on the siding. eluding my invention, the circuits and allap- My invention further comprises electricparatus being in what may be termed the ally-controlled locking means for locking the normal or usual condition. Fig. 11 isa view similar to Fig. 10, showing the conditions of circuits with a staff out of one of the staff instruments and locked in the controller.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 1 to 6, inclusive, A designates a controller em bodying my invention, the working parts of which are supported partly on a suitable baseplate a and partly within a vertical extension or plate Z, which latter is preferably, but not necessarily, made integral with the base-plate and is provided at its upper extremity with a central orifice 0, within which is located a miniature signal-blade cZ, pivotally secured to a post 0 and adapted to rise and fall, so as to assume the danger and clear position when a stafl'f is inserted within or withdrawn from the controller, as I shall presently describe. B designates a sleeve or socket for the reception of the stafl f, the outer end of which is preferably supported in an escutcheon ,r secured to the plate Z, while its inner end has secured within ita plug g, which takes the form of ashort shaft and which projects sufficiently beyond the edge of the sleeve or socket to enter a bearing formed in a bracket it, fastened to the base-plate a. The inner extremity of the plug g is provided with a tooth g, which is adapted to enter a recess 2', formed in the end of the staff f, whereby when the latter has been inserted within the socket or sleeve and turned said sleeve or socket will also turn with it. A suitable locking provi sion is provided for the purpose of locking the sleeve or socket B after it has been turned by the staff, so that a removal of the latter is rendered impossible, as will be hereinafter more fully described. This locking provision comprises a segment Zr, which is preferably made integrally with the socket or sleeve and having at one end a notch or depression, as represented at 72, for the reception of the locking-lever Z, pivotally sup ported in the bracket it, whereby said socket or sleeve is effectively locked against a return movement. The opposite end of this lever Z has secured to it an armature-plate Z, which normally rests upon the pole-piece a of magnets M M, supported on a horizontal base portion it of the bracket it when the segment is in its normal position, (shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1,) in which position the outer end of the locking-lever will rest on the upper face of the segment ZJ, so that when the staff has been inserted within the socket or sleeve B the latter will be permitted to be turned by it to bring its notched portion in register with the lever Zand allowing it to fall therein, as previously described, thus lifting the armature-plate Z away from the magnets M M, as clearly shown in Fig. 4. The outer end of the locking-lever Z is connected to the signal-blade (Z by means of a link or red n, pivotally secured to both, as represented at n and a', respectively, and it will thus be apparent that under the influence of said locking-lever the blade will rise and fall, so as to assume either the danger or clear position when a staff has been inserted in or withdrawn from the controller. C designates a cam rotatively mounted on a short shaft 0, which is supported in and projects through an opening in the plate Z, its outer end being provided with a suitable knob 0, by which it may be turned to lift the end of the lockingleverZ out of the notch in the segment 10, thereby releasing the latter and bringing the armature-plate Z into contact with and under the influence of the magnets M M, where it will remain if said magnets have been properly energized. The cam U is of peculiar construction and is not only intended for lifting the locking-lever to release the segment, bringing the armature Z within the field of the magnets M M, as just described, but it is also intended to prevent a return movement of the said segment under certain conditions, and it will be observed by especial reference to Fig. 5 that its upper surface p is flattened for a portion of its length and then terminates in a hook or shoulder 19, whose face lies approximately in a direct line with the edges of the notch It. The lower side of the cam is concaved, as represented at p, to conform to the concentric contour of a laterally-projecting flange Z0", formed on the face of the segment 76. The cam C is further formed with concentric side portions (1 and q, respectively, and the flange it on the segment is at one end is concaved, as shown, to conform to such concentric portions 1 and 9', so that when the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 5, which is the position they will assume when a staff has been inserted within the controller and properly locked therein, said cam may be turned to the right to lift the locking-lever, as previously described. In this position it will be apparent that the flange is will be free to move under the cam C While the staff is being turned to bring it into proper position for removal from the controller. The shoulder or hook p on the cam C engages the locking-lever Z when the latter is at rest within the notch 17b" of the segment Zr, and it will therefore be apparent that said cam can only be turned in one direction-to the right-and that during such rotative move ment its concentric portions q and q will be free to pass the concaved extremity of the flange as shown clearly in dotted lines in Fig. 5, bringing said cam into the path of travel of said flange Z0, and thereby preventing said segment from being returned to its initial position. In the event of the magnets M M being deenergized the locking-lever Z will when the cam has been returned to its initial position fall by gravity into the notch it" of the segment, and until such time as said magnets M M are energized, which can only be accomplished by the proper manipulation of and with the consent of the operators at the staff instruments at both ends of the block, it will be apparent that a staff cannot be removed from the controller and that safety in the control of the traffic is therefore maintained at alltimes. The staff f is provided with a longitudinal groove or kerf'f', which extends from the outer end thereof to a point contiguous to the escutcheon y, where it terminates in a short circumferential extension f. into which a suitable tooth or projection 71/, formed at the opening in the escutcheon, is adapted to enter when the staff is being inserted within the socket or sleeve B. Thus it will be apparent that when a staff has been inserted within said sleeve or socket and the segment has in turn been locked, as clearly shown in Figs. 5 and 6, such staff cannot be withdrawn by reason of said tooth or projection in engaging the wall of the circumferential extension f of the groove or kerf f.

Referring now to Figs. 7, 8, and 9 of the drawings, 1) designates a switch for changing the direction of the main current and cansing it to pass through and energize the mag nets M M at such time or times as the operators at both ends of the block have closed the circuits in their respective staff instruments in order to permit of the removal of a staff from the controller, and the said switch comprises appropriate contact-plates located upon either side of a spring-actuated push-rod s, which are adapted to impinge suitable binding-posts, which connect, respectively, with the main circuits and with those of the magnets M M. Normally these contact-pieces are adjusted so as to close the main circuit; but by pushing upon the rod a they will be shifted to the n'iagnet-cireuits, wherein the current will be transferred, thereby energizing said magnets and causing the armatureplatc to adhere to the pole-piece thereof, and so enabling the engineer or conductor of the train at the siding to manipulate the controller, as previously described, to permit him to remove the staff therefrom.

Suitable alarnrbells t and 6, Figs. 10 and 11, are provided within the controller, the one, i, being connected up by appropriate electric circuits with the bell-key Z of the staff instrument A, and the other bell t is similarly connected up with a bell-key Z of the staff instrument l3. Thus when the operator at B, for example, presses upon the bell-key Z" the circuit which leads to the alarm-bell 23 will be closed and the alarm sounded in the controller. A similar manipulation of the key-bell Z by the operator at the instrument A will close the circuit leading to the alarm-bell If, causing it also to sound an alarm.

A bell-key X is provided in the controller A and is connected up by a 'ipropriate circuits with the bells in the respective staff instruments, so that when the engineer or conductor of the train at the siding presses upon said bell-key the circuits will be closed and an alarm simultaneously sounded by the bells in each of the staff instruments, thus indicating that it is his desire to withdraw the stafi from the controller.

The sleeve or socket B is surrounded by a hard rubber or insulated covering 5, upon which are placed a series of contact-strips a a and w 20, which are adapted to engage contactpieces 11 a" a if and w 00 w" w, which latter are supported on an insulated block E, secured to the base a and being so disposed with relation to each other that when the parts are in their normal position i. 0., when no staff is in the controller-the circuit in the main line will be closed, so that a staff maybe withdrawn from an instrument at either end of the block, and thereby throwing such instruments out of synchronism. hen, however, a staff has been inserted and properly locked within the controller, the contact-strips a a will be removed away from the contactpieces a a, thereby breaking the circuit at those points and simultaneously bringing the contact-strips w w into engagement with the contact-pieces 10 w and w" w", putting the staff instruments into synchronism, so as to permit of another staff being removed from either staff instrument.

I will now describe the electric circuits which control the operating mechanism, having special reference to Fig. 10, wherein they are shown under normal conditions. The bell-key 4:9 in staff instrument B will be pressed by the operator thereat, closing the points on line 50, thus causing the current to flow from the positive end of the battery, through line 1, strip 2, plate 3, strip at, line 5, to spring 6 of switch in the controller A, thence through line '7, to contact 162, strip w, contact it to liue 11, thence through contactspring 12 of said switch to lines 13 and 14C, strip .15, plate 16, strip 17, line 18, bell 19, line 20, armature 21, line 22, through indicator 23, line 2 1, bell-key strip 25 in staff instrument A, to line 26, through indicator 27 therein, thence to line 28, strip 29, plate 30, strip 31, lines 32 and 33, spring 34 of switch D in controller, to line 35, contact a", strip m, and contact if to line 39, spring 10 of switch D, thence through line 11, strip t2, plate 3, strip 4 1, line &5, through indicator 46 in instrument B to lines L7 and 18, to bell-key A9 in instrument B, to point in line 50, back to negative side of battery, thus completing the circuit and ringing the bell in the instrument A.

In order to release a staff from the instrument A, for example, the armature therein will be lifted, so as to close the two points represented at R S, and the circuits described above will follow in the same sequence as far as the line numbered 18, whence it will pass along line 18, through magnet N, lines 19" and 20, to armature 21, through line 22 back to the negative side of battery in instrumentB. The

lifting of armature at A also closes a local circuit therein, the currents flowing from the positive side of the battery through lines 18, 18, and 51, through magnet N, line 52, resistance 53, point S, spring 54, and line 55, back to negative side of battery, thereby energiz ing said magnets N N and holding armature up, so that a staff may be withdrawn, such withdrawal of the staff throwing the'staff instruments outof synchronism. The removal of such staff shifts the plates 16 and 30 to the position shown in dotted lines at L, Fig. 10, thus changing the direction of the current in and neutralizing the attractive power of the magnets N N, allowing the armature to fall. The insertion of the staff within the controller, as previously described, again synchronizes the instruments and permits of another staff being withdrawn from either instrument or from the controller itself; but when a staff has been removed from any of these instruments another cannot be removed from the other or others.

In Fig. 11 the circuits are shown as they are effected by the insertion of a staff within the controller and where the staff therein may be released. Commencing at the positive end of the battery in the instrument B, the current will flow through line 1, strip 2, plate 3, strip 4, line 5, tospring 6 to switch in the controller, (dotted lines,) thence through line 8, magnet M, line 9, to spring 40 (dotted lines) of the controller-switch, line 41, strip 42, plate 43, strip 44, line 45, through indicator 46, lines 47 and 48 to key-spring 49, and point on line 50, to the negative side of battery, thus completing the circuit, and in the instrument at A, commencing at the positive end of battery, the current will flow through line 18, strip 2, plate 29, strip 31, lines 32 and 33 to contact-spring 34 (dotted lines) of switch in controller, thence by line 7 through magnet M, line 8, to contact-spring 12 (dotted lines) of' said switch, thence through lines 13 and 14, strip 15, plate 16, strip 17*, lines 14 and 28, through indicator 27, along line 26, to keyspring 25, and through point on line 18 to negative side of battery, thus completing the circuit and coincidently energizing the magnets M M, so as to cause the armature of the locking-lever Z to adhere thereto, thereby permitting the staff to be released from the controller, as previously described.

I have not herein specifically described nor have I illustrated any specific form of stafi? instrument. Any such instrument may be employed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A staff system for controlling traffic on railroads, having in combination a staff instru ment located at each end of section of track to be protected, circuits extending between the instruments, and a controller or controllers located at a siding or sidings in section of track for said circuits and adapted to receive a staff removed from either one of said instruments, whereby said instruments are synchronized to permit of another staff being removed therefrom.

2. A staff system for controlling the traffic on railroads, having in combination a staff instrument located at each end of the section of track to be protected, 2. controller or controllers located at a siding or sidings in said sec-' tion of track and electrically connected to said staff instruments, and adapted to receive a staff removed from either one of said instruments, and means for locking said staff within said controllers and for synchronizing said staff instruments to permit of the removal of another staff therefrom.

3. A staff system having in combination a stafi instrument located at each end of a section of track to be protected, a controller or controllers located at a siding or sidings in said section of track and electrically connected to said staff instruments, adapted to receive a staff removed from either of said instruments,

a locking provision for locking said stafl in said controllers and thereby synchronizing said instruments, and means for releasing said locking provision to permit of the removal of said staff, whereby said instruments are thrown out of synchronism. v

4. A staff system having in combination a staff instrument located at each end of a section of track to be protected, a controller or controllers located at a siding or sidings in said section of track and electrically connected to said instruments, adapted to receive a staff removed from either of said instruments, a locking provision for locking the stafl in said controllersand thereby synchronizing said instruments, a miniature signal-blade adapted to rise and fall to display the released and locked indication, and means for effecting such rise and fall of said blade and for releasing said staff whereby said instruments are thrown out of synchronism. I

5. A controller electrically connected up with staff instruments at each end of a section of track to be protected, and comprising a rotatively-supported socket adapted to receive a staff removed from either of said instruments, a locking provision adapted to turn with said socket, means for engaging said locking provision whereby said socket is locked against movement, and means for releasing said locking provision and for electrically maintaining it in unlocked position to permit of the rotative movement of said socket and consequent release of the staff.

6. Acontrollercomprisingarotatively-supported socket adapted to receive a staff, a locking provision adapted to lock said socket, means for releasing said locking provision, and magnets, electrically connected with staff instruments located at each end of a block,

whereby said locking provision is held in released position to permit of the removal of said. staff.

7. A controller comprising a rotatively-supported socket adapted to receive a staff, said socket having a provision for engaging the end of said stafi' whereby both may be rotated in unison, a locking provision adapted to lock said socket and staff against return movement, means for releasing said locking provision, and magnets electrically connected with staff instruments located at each end of a section of track to be protected, whereby said locking provision is held in released position to permit of the removal of said staif.

8. A controller comprising a rotatively-supported socket adapted to receive a staif, a provision therein for engaging said staff whereby both may be rotated in unison, a lixed tooth or projection adapted to enter a groove or kerf in said staif whereby the latter is locked in said socket, a locking provision adapted to lock the latter against return movement, a cam for releasing said locking provision, and magnets electrically connected with instruments located at each end of a section of track to be protected, whereby said locking provision is held in such released position to permit of the removal of said staff.

9. A controller comprising a rotatively-supported socket adapted to receive a staff, a provision therein for engaging said staff, whereby both may be rotated in unison, means for securing said staff within said. socket, a locking provision adapted to lock the latter against return movement, means for releasing said locking provision, magnets electrically connected with stafl instruments located at each end of a section of track to be protected, whereby said locking provision is held in such released position, and a switch for shifting the main current to and from said magnets.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribed witnesses.

THOMAS H. PATENALL.

\Vitnesses:

J AS. JonNsoN, V. L. MoDAN-IuL. 

